Package for flat articles such as surgical sponges



R. H. PRATT PACKAGE FOR FLAT ARTICLES SUCH AS SURGICAL SPONGES Filed Aug. 29, 1967 lili ...thi-.Elk 1| mvemon BZZ/M/a# ATTORNEYS United States Patent O PACKAGE FOR FLAT ARTICLES SUCH AS SURGICAL SPONGES Robert H. Pratt, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Pratt Manufacturing Corp., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 664,078 3 Claims. (Cl. 20G-63.2)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package having a bottom panel of sheet material on which a at article such as a surgical sponge is placed, said bottom panel having a fold portion folded upwardly over a portion of the article and sealed at its side edges to the bottom panel, there being a top panel covering said article and having an edge projecting beyond the folded edge of the bottom panel, at least one of said panels being formed of heat-sealable lm, and the top panel being heat sealed to the sides and upper edge of the bottom panel by a U-shaped heat seal outline and being sealed to the fold portion of the bottom panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention-The invention pertains to packages for surgical supplies such as surgical sponges and is of a type in which at least one of the panels is formed of material to allow for steam sterilization of the surgical items therein after the package has been sealed, the package having means whereby it may be held while it is being opened without having the fingers come in contact with the article.

Description of the prior urn-Packages for surgical Sponges have heretofore been proposed. Prior art packages are usually formed of one piece of sheet material and comprise a back panel on which the surgical sponge is supported, a partial front panel which is folded up and over the lower portion of the sponge, and which has a reversely-folded flap, there being another partial front panel folded from the top edge of the back panel and which is secured to the reversely-folded ap and also to the side edges of the back panel. This type of package takes a substantial amount of material because of the reversely-folded flap, and cannot have the front and back panels formed of different material as it is a one-piece package. Being a one-piece package for an article which requires sterilization, the package must be formed entirely of paper having such porosity and other characteristics as to permit steam sterilization. In addition, this type of package, because of the reversely-folded flap, has, in effect, a T joint which makes it diiciult to seal the edges without having leakage through the T joint at said edges. This type of package also requires the printing of an adhesive pattern thereon and the application of adhesive in particular locations, and requires cutting and folding in conformity with said pattern.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved package for sterile articles wherein it is unnecessary to print an adhesive pattern and unnecessary to apply adhesive in particular locations, the package being such that one of the panels inherently provides the material for heat sealing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package of the class described in which the top and bottom panels may be formed of diferent materials to permit the use of a heat-sealable lilm for one of said panels, said lm also providing for a desirable transparency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package in which the necessity of lpre-printing an adhesive pattern is eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package in which one of the panels may be formed of porous material of a type which permits steam sterilization, with the other panel formed of a heat-sealable lm.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package which requires a minimum of material, which can be easily opened while the contents is maintained in sterile condition, and which provides for holding of the item within a fold until it is removed for use.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of the improved package for flat articles, and all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing, wherein the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. l is a plan view of a package, parts of the top panel being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how the package may be opened, the top panel being partially ripped away;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an edge view of a web showing how the package may be formed from two webs of different material;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the web `portions in V form to receive an article therein; and

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a top panel and the numeral 11 a bottom panel. The bottom panel has `a fold portion 12 folded upwardly over the lower portion of the at article 13 which, in the drawing, is illustrated as a surgical gauze sponge. The side edges of the fold portion are sealed to the bottom panel as at 9. The top panel is non-integral with the bottom panel and is preferably slightly greater in one dimension to provide an overhanging gripping portion 14 to facilitate opening of the package. The top and -bottom panels are suitably secured together at the side edges as at 15 and 16, at the top edge as at 17, and the top panel is secured to the fold 12, as indicated, by the securement pattern 18 which preferably has a curved lower margin 19 so that the top panel is free `from the ap near the bottom. It is also heat sealed at 9. It is preferred to have slits 8 extending upwardly from the lower edge of the panel 10 and curved toward the side edges just beneath the seal margin 19 as shown in FIGS. l and 2, the slits terminating sufficiently short of the side edges of the panel to keep the material intact. In lieu of slits, lines of perforation or other lines of weakening may be employed.

In the preferred embodiment, the bottom panel 11 is formed of a heat-sealable `film such as a thin sheet of polypropylene or polyethylene. It is also possible to use some other suitable sheet material which is coated with a heat sealing material, such as polypropylene-coated foil. The latter material is, however, relatively expensive and, in the conventional package, cost is usually an important factor. The use of plastic sheet material, such as polypropylene film, provides an inexpensive way of forming a package having one side transparent, and the film in` herently provides the heat sealing material. In the preferred embodiment, the top panel is formed of a type of paper having such porosity that steam sterilization is possible. T-he paper must be such that steam can pass through to act upon the contents of the paokage but it `must not admit contaminating foreign matter. A bleached kraft paper, as well as other suitably porous papers, is satisfactory.

In forming the package, the material 11 forming the bottom panel, and having the extension which is to form the fold portion 12, is heat sealed to the top panel 10, as at 18 (FIG. 4). The panel 11 is then folded on the line of fold 20, which line is spaced inwardly from the adjacent edge of the panel to provide for the overhang 14 in the final package. The parts are then arranged in V form and the article 13 is inserted therein. Thereafter the panels are brought together around the article, and heat sealing elements having an outline to form the Seals 9, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are employed to heat seal the panels together around the article 13 and to heat seal the side edges of the fold in upfolded condition.

It is, of course, possible to form the bottom panel oi `the porous paper such as the kraft paper, and the top panel of the film. However, when this is done, the side edges of the fold portion 12 must be sealed to the bottom panel by some means requiring the application of an adhesive or a heat-sealing material. Where film is used for the bottom panel 11, its fold portion 12 is also of heat-sealable material so there is no problem in securing the side edges of the ap in folded condition to the back panel. It is also practical to form both the top and bottom panels from porous paper such as bleached kraft paper, but then there are the problems of sealing the top and bottom panels to each other and of sealing the side edges of the folded flap 12 to the side edges of the back panel. Where both panels are formed of kraft paper, this requires the printing of an adhesive pattern on the paper, which adds to the expense.

In the modification of FIG. 6, all of the parts are indicated by the same numerals used in FIG. 3 except that prime marks are applied. In this modification everything is the same as in the form of the invention of FIG. 3 eX- cept that the projection 14 is made longer and is folded around and up as shown in FIG. 6 to provide a dust seal. This folded extension is not sealed in folded condition.

In use :of the improved package it is merely necessary to insert a thumb in the area `marked T and hold the fold portion 12 between the thumb and forenger of the left hand. The projecting lower edge of the top panel may then be gripped between the thumb and finger of the right hand and the top panel ripped upwardly in the manner indicated in FIG. 2. During such ripping the lower portion of the top panel 10 between the slit or weakened lines 8 will be pulled upwardly, leaving the portions 7 behind. Ripping is continued until the seals 15, 16, 17 and 18 have been broken and the top panel removed. In the case of the modification of FIG. 6, it is merely necessary to unfold the portion 14 and then -to pull the extension upwardly as heretofore described. The sponge is then held between the fold portion 12 and the back panel w-hile it is thoroughly protected from contact. The sponge may then be readily removed with a forceps.

What I claim is:

1. A relatively at package having a bottom panel, having an article positioned on said bottom panel, having a fold portion folded upwardly from an edge of said bottom panel over an edge of the article, having a top panel, and having means separably securing said top panel over said upwardly-folded fold portion and over that portion of the article which projects above said fold portion, said securing means including bands of seourement at the sides of the package which are spaced laterally beyond the edges of the article and which have lower portions securing the fold portion in upwardly-folded position and securing the top panel to the sides of said upwardlyfolded fold portion, and the securing means including a transverse band of securement between the ap and the top panel which is spaced above the lower portion of said upwardly-folded fold portion to provide a thumb insertion space, and lines of weakening extending upwardly from the lower edges of the top panel over the upwardlyfolded fold portion on opposite sides of said thumb insertion space and terminating short of the upper edge of said fold portion, said lines of weakening being spaced a short distance inwardly from the edges of the top panel to facilitate ripping of the top panel upwardly leaving narrow sections of the top panel secured to said ap portion.

2. A relatively at package as claimed in Claim 1 wherein upper portions of said lines of weakening are directed outwardly toward side edges of the panel but terminate short thereof.

3. A relatively fiat package as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the transverse band of securement between the top panel and the fold portion has a downwardly-bowed lower margin, the ends of which lead to the outwardlydirected portions of the lines of weakening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,932,749 10/1933 Poppe 229--76 1,977,759 10/1934 Ford 206-56 2,069,549 2/ 1937 Hutt, et al. 2,668,769 2/1954 Sohlienz 20G-56 2,990,948 7/ 1961 Zackheim 206-46 3,062,371 11/1962 Patience 20d-63.2 3,338,019 8/1967 Trewella, et al. 53--28 WILLIAM T. DIXSON, IR., Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. XR. 

